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Leroy Dzenga Features Writer
The Harare Publicity Bureau tells a tale of a facility underutilized.
When The Herald visited the Sam Munjoma post, the attendant appeared unsure of certain aspects of the city.
Asked on the investment opportunities in the city or areas of collaboration, the lady
manning the front desk exhibited ignorance.
“We are out of materials on things you are asking about, but my boss, if he was around, he would give you all the details you need,” the lady said.
To their credit, they have a number of vouchers and brochures on local resorts which could be useful to a tourist.
They did not have basic literature which carry the city`s narratives like the famous Harare photographic history book.
Unlike Harare, prime cities across the globe, are information centres where visitors and tourists get help about the country.
Zimbabwean cities used to have functional publicity associations which ran these information centres in conjunction with city councils.
This was where useful digestible knowledge was easy to find.
They were supposed to be one-stop shops meant to aid the curious.
Over the years, it appears the attention given to these publicity centres by local authorities has waned, although some have staggered on.
In Marondera, Chinhoyi and Kwekwe the information centres have since closed.
Masvingo City Council is working hard to ensure their publicity bureau stays operational.
The city`s Director of Housing, Levison Nzvura said the publicity association was functional but nowhere near its potential.
“We are supporting the publicity association but we believe it can be more vibrant than it is. It can be better if the private sector can chip in as well. As it stands council is funding most of their activities,” said Nzvura.
Last year in Masvingo, a full council meeting heard that the information centre was not resourced to expected levels.
Corporate presence in the running of publicity associations has paid dividends in towns like Kariba.
Kariba Municipality public relations officer Gabriel Maziofa said the private sector had been playing a part in keeping the Kariba Publicity Association (KPA) alive.
Like any other entity that has seen the transitioning economic space in Zimbabwe, they have faced challenges but unconventional thinking has helped the KPA.
“The organization was formed in 1994. It was working through volunteers until it was dissolved. It was then revived in 2011 by the municipality of Kariba and it was registered as a trust. It is now run by a board which is selected by KPA members,” said Maziofa.
Acting as a hub where people get information on the city and what it has to offer, resorts and other related operations in the area seized the opportunity to use the publicity association to their advantage.
“It is a membership organization that comprises tour operators, hotels, lodges, non-profit organisations and individuals, currently the Municipality of Kariba is funding 90 percent of the expenses,” Maziofa said.
Maziofa added; “Challenges being faced by KPA include material resources like computers and they are also short-staffed due to lack of funds to pay the workers.”
Its presence has allowed members to be collectively represented at marketing events including the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, Sanganai-Hlanganani Expo, Durban Indaba and the Provincial Expo.
Businesses can pool resources and fund a publicity association to attend an event on their behalf than to send different entourages from the same area.
In 2017, Zvishavane launched a publicity association in a bid to promote key activities in the asbestos town which include mining, sports, arts, culture and tourism.
Publicity associations should see an opportunity in the not-so-new but yet to be fully utilized digital platforms available to them.
Information centres or bureaus should function beyond the walk-ins of the old days. They can diffuse the distance and time involved in communication.
Virtual publicity centres would be helpful for those planning to visit local towns and cities even from thousands of kilometers away.
Currently, Zimbabwe is pursuing the Special Economic Zones model which relies heavily on easily accessible information.
Publicity associations are critical to this pursuit.
Beitbridge seems to be conversant on this frontier as it is mulling setting up a one to help the municipality sell its agenda better.
Beitbridge Municipality acting Town Clerk, Loud Ramakgapola recently emphasized the importance of publicity, saying it is critical in aligning the opportunities in the city with potential investors.
The rule of the thumb in publicity is “do good and communicate”. If cities and towns in Zimbabwe want to reach their collective goals, they need to ensure the vibrancy of publicity associations.
Their presence, married to new ideas relevant in this dynamic world, may be part of the solution to the publicity headache confronting cities and towns which have seen the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority release funds towards the revival of publicity associations.
If the concept of publicity associations is fully revived and fine-tuned to meet the needs of a dynamic contemporary world, maybe cities could communicate the magic they bear in a better way.
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